Estevar: A Planet Corrupted
by Jay Ryan
Summary: A peaceful planet; all of the races here get along... until one day, the Valchior launch an attack, wiping out the Somahaku race; all but 20 children. Now, Dohuku, one of these teenagers, is in search of true power, to restore peace...
1. Part 1: The Beginning

Part 1: The Beginning

The sun was setting over the Tarahaki Hills, and the moon was now visible. It was a full moon on the planet of Estevar, and the planet was at peace. Many tribes inhabit Estevar, but no feuds between the tribes have ever occurred. It was just another day on this peaceful planet...

The Somahaku went about their daily lives, the children swimming in the Sluvoo River, and the adults were wandering aimlessly around the markets, not looking for anything specifically. It was just another day on this peaceful planet...

The Somahaku were natural-born swimmers. The children were first to see the Valchior Falcons. The Valchior was another tribe on the planet of Estevar: They were Goblin-like creatures who live on the Tarahaki Hills. Many of the Valchior could fly, such as the falcons. The Valchior Falcons circled a bit, and let out a battle cry. Immediately, like a swarm, the Valchior appeared on the Summit of the Tarahaki Hills. The children fled. They swam down the river, and they did not turn back. All but one. One of the Somahaku children stayed behind, and watched the destruction of his tribe. It was horrible. The Valchior Falcons swooped down in groups, taking out the men and women as if they were nothing. The Somahaku infantry was assembled at the edge of the once-peaceful town, waiting for the ground troops. The Valchior had hundreds of troops. The Souhari were the Valchior leaders. They carried large scythes, and they were first to meet the Somahaku troops. The Somahaku had a little over a hundred men, for they had never imagined this could happen. The Somahaku Generals, known as Gyou, carried two-handed swords. The men behind them had daggers and short-swords. Finally, behind them, were the Somahaku Archers? There were about 20 of them, and they were each quite skilled.

By this time, the falcons were aided by the much more powerful Valchior Griffins, and the village was in ruins. All that was left was the small army. The archers were firing at the Griffins and Falcons. The Valchior ground troops had grown to a full 1500! The Gyou had made it through the firs few waves of the Valchior Infantry, but the main attack was launched, and the Souhari took them out with no force. In addition, the Valchior archers were taking out the lesser-trained men with lesser weapons. By the time the Somahaku Archers had finished with the flying creatures, they were all that was left. Within a couple of minutes, it was over. The children who had fled had found a large cavern, and the eldest of them took control. She took a head-count, and realized that there were only 23 survivors of the Somahaku tribe. Her name was Montissiya, and she was now her tribe Elder. The fate of their kind was entrusted to her. She knew only one thing to do: They would rest, and later set out for the Kingdom of Montlefor, land of the Kontor people, in the Center of the dangerous Juhuto Forest.

The Kontor are a mixed tribe of many forest tribes: Dwarves, Elves, and Orcs. They have been allies and great friends to the Somahaku people. Surely, she thought, they would help.

Meanwhile, the child who had stayed behind was stunned. He ran frantically through the streets, looking for his family. The Valchior had left, returning to their hills. The boy's name was Siytor, the Somahaku word for "courage."

"No more," he told himself. He decided then and there that his name would now be "Dohuku," the Somahaku word for "Revenge." He picked up one of the slain Souhari's Scythe, and a dagger found close by. He remembered some Somahaku Lore he had once read, that stated "Real power can be found at The Shlou Lake."

And that is where Dohuku was now heading.


	2. Part 2: Plans Gone Terribly Wrong

Part 2: The Survival of a Race 

The Sun had not yet risen, but Montissiya awoke her peers. They would now set out for the Kingdom of Montlefor. They could travel along the Sluvoo swiftly and silently, but between the forest and the river was a large plain that stretched for miles. Montissiya knew that it was once home to the Hilaku, a tribe who had only shown hostility towards her own tribe. However, she also knew that they were nomads, and they traveled in groups of only about twenty or so. And finally, she knew that it was her only choice, so off they went, into the dark, frigid, Sluvoo river.

Meanwhile, Dohuku made a sheath for his dagger, placed the dagger in the sheath, and placed it on his left arm, for easy access. He also sheathed the scythe behind his back, although he shortened the stick so it would be easy to use. He would be traveling in the opposite direction down the Sluvoo, right next to the Tarahaki Hills, where the Valchior got their drinking water. He did not even think of that, as he swam for the hills. The trip to the Hills did not take long, because he was a great swimmer. Once in the Valchior Territory, he swam cautiously, watching and listening to everything. He did not see anything in the water, until it was too late. Valchior were not great swimmers, and it was odd to see one swimming... Nevertheless, there one was, and by the time he saw it, it had already witnessed his approach. It was younger than he, about 14 or so was. He had only one choice: He had to silence him. He swam quickly, and put the creature's head underwater. It could not scream, let alone breathe... Just then, he heard another Valchior yell: "Fin Del, you have committed treason, and will be exterminated... The Somahaku are all dead, you're next. Why you did not fight is up to you, but whatever the reason, it _will_ cost you your life!

"Come out now, and it will be slow and painless... make us chase you, and it will be much, _much worse!"_

Dohuku swam forward, keeping his hand on the creature's mouth. He lifted its head above the water, but kept his hand in place. It could now breathe, but not scream.

After 3 minutes, they were at a safe distance of 3 km. Then he let the creature go.

"What are you going to do to me?"

"Don't worry, yet... Why are they after you?"

M-my Elders told me to fight... everyone else my age and older did. I refused to fight; I can't stand to see dying people. Also... I've come to hate my entire tribe!"

"Why... why is that?"

"Th-they killed my entire family for befriending a Somahaku... hey, wait, you... you're a Somahaku, aren't you!"

"Yes, me and about twenty others have escaped... I think. They fled, but I stayed... I only pray they survived..."

"So, what are you gonna do?"

"Like it or not, I will avenge my tribe! I have waged war on the Valchior!" Dohuku was on the verge of tears by now; he was shaking so much, he could barely stand...

"Please, let me help you! I _beg_ you... I have no family in the Valchior, and only one friend.

"I'm guessing that you must be going somewhere now, right?

There is no way you could beat them _all_, yet. So, please bring me with you, and when we return, help me get my only living friend, Chemesa, out..." Fin Del followed suit; he had to sit down to contain himself...

"Fine, but we have to move quickly! If they find us, we're both _dead..._"

Back in the Sluvoo, Montissiya led her tribe onto land, ready for the slow and steady rip across the plain. As far as her eyes could see, it was safe. They started walking, and, after a couple of hours, the sun was up, and they were at the edge of the Forest...

And that's when they heard it.

A large screech. They all looked up, and saw the putrid faces of the Valchior Falcons...

'What does this mean,' Montissiya asked herself... Then it hit her: 'The Kingdom of Montlefor is under attack!'

The Somahaku moved swiftly through the Juhuto Forest... and their hearts sank.

There he was, Lord Konowich, King of the Kontor people, and Ruler of the Kingdom of Montlefor... shaking hands with _Kiyu-Su-Lu_, Ruler of the Tarahaki Hills, King of the Valchior, and the very man who, only hours ago, ordered the death of their tribe...

'What does _this_ mean,' she asked herself. 'Our long-time allies, and friends, have betrayed us? WHY?'

She told her followers that they had to leave, and think. This was a mistake. The Kontor had unsurpassed hearing, and one of them heard her whispering. A flurry of red came towards them, and they realized it was an army of Valchior Griffins! They turned, and ran! They were in the plains before the Griffins caught up to them. Just as one swooped in, it seemed as though it was having a seizure: It spun around in circles, and crashed onto the ground. It slid for about 30 feet. It ended at the feet of Montissiya, and she realized that it did not have a seizure: Two arrows were directly in the center of the pupils of its two eyes. Like a flash from behind the Somahaku, a flurry of arrows knocked the Griffins out of the sky, just in time for 5 Valchior Souhari to arrive. All of a sudden, five white objects soared above the Somahaku, and each threw a Javelin. They went right through the necks of the Souhari. It was over.


	3. Part 3: The Hilaku

Part 3: The Hilaku 

Dohuku and Fin Del traveled along the Sluvoo; Dohuku swimming, and Fin Del running at his top speed. They were traveling for hours, when they realized that they could go no further. They were exhausted, and they decided to sleep for a couple of hours.

Meanwhile, Montissiya was conversing with one of the flying creatures with the Javelin. This creature is a Ciliyo, and these were the Hilaku. Montissiya was told that she needed to talk to Diyuhama, the Admiral of this group.

Diyuhama told her that one of his Scouts had seen them go in. He knew that she had been attacked, and that Montissiya was seeking help with Konowich. Diyuhama assembled his troops at the foot of the forest, as he knew that Konowich was also a double-dealer. Diyuhama could only hope that they could escape so he could help.

"So, why are you helping us? Our tribes have never gotten along, some even considered us enemies!" Montissiya stated, obviously somewhat shocked.

"This may be true, but we have never even thought of attacking you. We are not friends, but I would never let those scum defeat you completely. Please, Elder, consider us allies!" He had a smile on his face, as he extended his hand. She took it and shook it. He pulled his arm back, and the smile faded; he was serious again. "My greatest fears may yet come to pass. If they find out about you and they realize that we are helping you, we will all be eliminated. Nevertheless, as you know, the Hilaku is a large tribe. I have my most agile messenger out to the Hilaku High Guard, where our Leader will learn of your current state. If all goes well, we could have the entire Hilaku army out to bring us to safety. For now, we have this group of 42 soldiers to hold our own. We can also supply you with some weapons to defend yourselves. Nothing special, but it may just save your lives...

"Once those 10 Griffins, and 5 Souhari don't return to Kiyu-Su-Lu, reinforcements will surely arrive. We must be prepared to battle, if needed.

When Dohuku awoke, it was once again nighttime. He woke Fin Del, and they set off. Dohuku was trying to figure out how far it would be before they reached the Shlou Lake. He was determined to get the "True Power." After traveling for three more hours, they saw it. The point where the Sluvoo forks into the Shlou. Now they had to find some clues as to where the "True Power" could be found.


	4. Part 4: Conflicts

Part 4: Conflicts 

"Kiyu-Su-Lu, what have you done!? There are still many Somahaku who live! You have failed your end of the bargain! I will not fulfill mine until they're all gone! And now they have allies; of this I am sure, because your _so-called_ army has yet to return!" Konowich yelled; he was furious! "Bashtool! Assemble the army! You're heading out in 10 minutes!"

"Yessir!" Bashtool replied.

"MyLord," Kiyu-Su-Lu replied, "you are being foolish and hasty. As you said, there are more than we saw at the edge of the Forest. They have _undoubtedly_ prepared for this..."

"Kiyu-Su-Lu!" Konowich nearly screamed. "There is no way that I will wait for them to attack me! They will never survive the wrath of my entire Kingdom!"

"Fine, but let me and my me help. We can-"

"No! You have failed. You go back to your Hills... make sure they're _all dead!!!_ If they still survive... _exterminate them!!!"_ He was shaking, because he feared for his life. They had attacked, but not exactly won, as some still survive... He was quite pitiful; he was now driven to near insanity. "Come back tomorrow; the rest will be gone by then..."

"But-" Kiyu-Su-Lu started...

"Good day, Kiyu-Su-Lu..."

"Sir," Bashtool walked in. "the troops are ready."

"Good. Prepare to move out..."

Meanwhile, Dohuku was searching the bottom of the Lake, and Fin Del was searching the Land. The Lake was not large, although it was deep. No creatures inhabit the lake, so they didn't have to be cautious...

Fin Del was walking, searching around every boulder, when he heard his "friend" call: "Fin Del! I've found an underwater cove! Hop on my back!" And he did. He held his breath. They were inside the cove within seconds, and luckily enough, there was plenty of air.

"What's that?" Fin Del asked.

"That must be it!" Dohuku exclaimed excitedly. It was a tome, atop a large pedestal. There was a weird glow emanating from it. Dohuku went up to it, and opened it to the first page.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, there was a blinding flash! Additionally, a Large Sea Serpent came soaring at Dohuku! He held up his left hand, and pulled the dagger out of its sheath with his right hand. He would not be able to get the scythe in time. He put the dagger point out in front of him. The Serpent turned, so as not to be hit by the extended dagger, but it scraped along it's left side. Green ooze started to pour out, but not very quickly, and it did not last long... somehow, it healed itself, and the ooze stopped coming. Dohuku pulled out his scythe, and charged at the creature. He took a giant leap, flipped in the air, and kicked his feet off of the roof, charging downward at the creature's head. Before the serpent could react, he sliced off the creature's head at the neck...

Then, to his surprise, the serpent's body grew another head, and the decapitated head sprouted another body!!!

"Fin Del," Dohuku yelled, "Read the tome! It should tell you how to kill the snake!" Fin Del raced to the large book, and started to read. Dohuku was hitting the creatures with his scythe, to make them bleed. Basically, he was hitting them slightly so they would back off, not attack. He needed to stall, until he knew what to do!

"Their venomous fangs!!!" Fin Del yelled.

"What?"

"Their venomous fangs! They can't regenerate them! Put a wound in their teeth, and they'll bleed to death!!!"

Gotcha! Here goes!" Dohuku yelled; he charged at the first creature, and sliced its fang off. It fell to the ground in pain. The other saw what was going on, and went after Fin Del...

"Dohuku, help!" Fin Del cried. "I have no weapon!"

Dohuku unsheathed his dagger once again; he hurled it at the second creature's head. He proceeded to yell, "Behind you!" It turned to look at him; and was met my a dagger in the tooth!!! It fell to the ground, and squirmed. Within minutes, both were limp and lifeless...

By this time, Dohuku was reading the tome. It revealed the secret in poem:

For great power, you must find,

Four Great Pieces, that together bind

Headgear that is close to me

Armor high atop a tree

A Shield at the edge of the sea

And finally a Weapon near a "T"

"What do you think it means?" Fin Del asked, puzzled.

"...first, headgear that is in the cove, probably. Second, armor in a tree outside. Third, a Shield close to the edge of the Lake. I'm not so sure about the fourth, but we'll know it when we see it. We have to get them _all!_ Then, my friend, we _will have true power!!!"_

The messenger came swiftly out of the Juhuto Forest, and went straight to Diyuhama. "Sire, the entire army is coming out. The Valchior have gone in the opposite direction, north, towards the Tarahaki Hills. What shall we do?"

"We have not yet heard from the Hilaku High Guard. We have no choice; we have to flee, now!" Diyuhama did not seemed too alarmed to hear that the entire army was coming. "How much time?"

"They're only marching. We should have _at least_ 3 hours." The messenger seemed to calm down after seeing his leader, and realizing how calm he was.

"Round everyone up. I'll tell 'em the news." A few minutes later, they had assembled.

'This is beautiful,' Diyuhama told himself. 'Two tribes coming together. My four swift Ciliyo, 17 hand-2-hand combatants, 17 archers, 3 messengers, and myself, along with Montissiya and her 21 followers. This truly is beautiful!'

"Fellow Hilaku, new friends, we have a situation. Lord Konowich has sent his _entire_ army out to get us. We must flee. They are coming south, while the Valchior are heading north. We will try to miss them both by cutting west. Somahaku, you each have a dagger or a bow and quiver with limited arrows. Use your weapons only if it becomes a necessity! We must leave, and remain completely silent.


	5. Part 5: The Holy Headgear

Part 5: The Holy Headgear "Dohuku, someone must've taken it already. We've checked the entire cavern... three times!!!" Fin Del said, followed by a sigh. 

"Impossible... my entire race is dead. What's left of the Somahaku went the other way, and we traveled here non-stop! We are the _only_ race who know of this place, and there is no way it's gone! Keep looking!!!" Dohuku had lost it. He was so upset about recalling the destruction of the village...

"..."

"Fin Del... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get angry. It's just the thought, and recalling those images of when the Val-"

"Here! I found it!" Fin Del cut him off.

"What? Where?!?" Dohuku could barely contain himself.

"I knocked over the Pedestal where the tom was... and it was stuck on the bottom of it! I can't get it off, though..."

"Good job!!!" Dohuku said as he rushed over. "Let me try. I'm guessing that only a Somahaku can lift the Helmet."

Fin Del moved aside so his friend could come over and grab the Helmet.

As Dohuku placed his hands on the Headgear, once again a glow filled the room. He removed it from the bottom of the Pedestal, and placed it on his head... a perfect fit!

"Now, on to the Armor. We need to find the highest tree, and climb up it. Let's get out of the cavern."

As Fin Del got onto his back and into the water, Dohuku realized that he could breathe underwater! He swam quickly to the surface, for Fin Del's sake, though. He did not bother to tell Fin Del about this. He did not want to get him too excited; he wanted to get the rest as soon as possible.

The Hilaku and the Somahaku headed quickly to the west, in hopes of escaping. They traveled for hours. After 9 hours _straight_, they decided to camp out. Montissiya went to talk to Diyuhama.

"What can we _possibly_ do? I have control of my entire tribe, and two entire races are after me. What can I do? _What?_

"Don't worry. My entire tribe is here, and we will survive together. We will keep moving, until reinforcements arrive. Please, don't lose faith, we can do it!"

"B-but..."

"Sir?" It was the messenger sent out to the High Guard. "I must see you... privately; immediately..."

"Please excuse us, Montissiya." Montissiya walked reluctantly to the Somahaku children.

"Shiku," Diyuhama asked; he seemed a bit startled. "what is so important? When will the reinforcements arrive? How many-"

"The High Guard has new orders. They're not coming."

"What?" Diyuhama rose to his feet, in a frightened hurry. "'Change of Plans?'"

"MyLord... We are to... Eliminate them..."

"Dohuku, over here!" Fin Del was standing next to a large tree, with vines hanging down everywhere. "Up there, I see something. Should I try to get it?"

"No, even if the armor is in that tree, only a Somahaku can wield the power." Dohuku walked over to the tree, and looked up, scanning the object. "Well, I guess I better go up there, and see what it is. Wish me luck."

Dohuku grabbed hold of a vine, and jumped across to another vine, and another... He soon realized that they were falling behind him. And then he heard a scream: It was Fin Del. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"The vines!" Fin Del yelled. "They're snakes!" Dohuku was confused, but soon realized that Fin Del was right. He grabbed his dagger from his sheath, and leapt towards the trunk of the tree. He was too high up the tree to jump down, or he would be hurt. He jabbed his dagger into the wood of the trunk, and held on. He grabbed another branch, and swung in the wind, hanging from the branch and his dagger. There were no more branches in reach; he had a different plan: He put the scythe between his legs, and sharpened the butt end with his dagger; he now had a spear on one end, and a blade on the other. He tied a _real_ vine onto the scythe, and also around his waist. He put the butt end of the scythe into the tree, and started to hang from it. He started to swing from the branch; back, and forth, back... after gaining speed, he leapt forwards and upwards. He grabbed onto another branch, and he eased his way to a standing position. He then pulled on the vine, and jimmied the scythe out of the trunk. He lifted the scythe back up with the vine.

"Geez..." he heard Fin Del mutter, "you alright?"

"Yeah, just great..." he replied sarcastically... "I see a large branch up higher; it's like a platform. That's where I'm goin'."


	6. Part 6: Newfound Enemies

Part 6: Newfound Enemies

"...Shiku, you've been my ally and true friend for as long as I can remember. I need to know what you think. Would you do what is right, or obey orders?"

"I will follow your orders, sire. Whatever you choose-"

"But, what would _you_ do?"

"...I would follow my heart..."

There was a very, _very long _pause.

"...round everyone up...including the Somahaku..."

After everyone was assembled, each person asked questions to someone close by. Montissiya was first to see Diyuhama emerge.

"What did your messenger tell you?" she asked. "What are the orders from the High Guard?"

"..."

"What is going on?" This was asked by one of the Ciliyo.

The answer he received was simple, and completely to the point: "We head out. Now!" Diyuhama's voice shook as he said these four words.

The crowd was in an uproar. "What?" Montissiya asked. "Where to? We've had no time to rest. What did the High Guard say?"

"I have no idea where we're going; we're fugitives, all of us... The High Guard is somehow in agreement with Kiyu-Su-Lu, and Konowich. We have been ordered to... eliminate you... all of you..." Tears started running down his cheek. Everything he has worked for; all of it, he is throwing away for 22 survivors of a massacred race... Yeah, yeah, he knew it was the right thing, but he also knew he might be throwing his entire life away by disobeying his Master...

No one made a sound for a good 30 seconds... Montissiya was first to speak up: "...and... what do you... think?" She choked out through tears.

"I...I think...no, I know that it's wrong, unfair, and cowardly to eliminate the survivors of the Somahaku... We'll try to escape, and think from there. My group and I will approach other Hilaku, and try to convince them to help our cause, not Sharkon's, our leader. After that, we will confront Sharkon, and work from there... Something isn't right... but I'm not sure what it is..."

They rested for only an hour before setting out. "Elder Montissiya, can we really trust 'em?" This was asked by one of the young Somahaku children. "I mean, they might lead us straight to the High Guard, into an ambush!"

This thought had already occurred to Montissiya; and she had already shaken it off... "...no, Diyuhama wouldn't do that. He was being sincere. I'm... sure of it. Besides, if that were the case, they could take us out now. No, he's right. Something _isn't _right. Why, all of a sudden, have three races turned on us? We will do our best, and as long as we work together, we _will succeed_!" It seemed as though she was trying to convince herself just as much as the others...

The Valchior, led by Kiyu-Su-Lu, were almost at the Tarahaki Hills, when a messenger met up with them. "Sire, Fin Del, the traitor, has escaped... We have no idea how or where. We searched the River for hours; there is no way he could have swam or ran faster than us. We suspect he has hidden in the Village, but he was nowhere to be found. What shall we do?" The messenger seemed frightened...

"Ha! Let him go!" Kiyu-Su-Lu chuckled, as he revealed the Master Plan of the Valchior... "Everything has fallen into place just fine! The Hilaku think that the Somahaku and Kontor are scheming to take control of the planet... The Kontor think that _I _will give them power in _my_ planet... The Somahaku are all gone... There is no way _one measly child could ruin it all!!!" _ Kiyu-Su-Lu seemed so sure of himself... "Tomorrow, we set out for the Land Of the Glekor, people of the Glemock Swamps... to eliminate them... Thus finished, Kontor and Hilaku will nearly destroy eachother, and whoever survives, we will wipe them out with ease... The armies of these people will be gone, and we will rule their commonfolk. Everything _will be perfect in the World!!!"_


	7. Part 7: Plans Gone Terribly Wrong

Part 7: Plans Gone Terribly Wrong!

As the sun arose, the Hilaku and Somahaku continued their journey to their hopeful freedom. Montissiya questioned the whereabouts of their destination, but she knew she had no choice in the matter. She went to talk to Diyuhama alone. "Please, we need to rest. My tribe is made entirely of children, do not forget."

"I'm sorry, but we cannot. My Ciliyo and strong men can carry the younger and more tired ones, but they must take turns; also, my men will need breaks from carrying them..."

"... I am truly grateful, thank you..." she said, with a sigh of relief...

Dohuku had at this time reached the "platform." There, hanging from a branch was a suit of armor.

Just then, a large serpent fell from the tree, onto the platform. Dohuku was determined to get the armor. He took his scythe, and prepared himself. This serpent was different than the others... it was somewhat cautious; it did not charge at him immediately.

Dohuku decided to make the first move: He charged at the creature. The creature lifted its tail, and swiftly surrounded Dohuku with it, squeezing him. Dohuku was in shock, and he lost hold of the scythe. He slowly inched his hands together, and grabbed the dagger. He cut deeply into the creature. The grip loosened, and Dohuku got away. Just as he got to his scythe, the creature came at him. He did not even have time to bend down and pick it up. He tried any, and almost had it, but he could not grasp it... The creature hit the scythe with its head; the blade fell to the ground with a loud 'Clang!'

Dohuku now had a stick... He quickly recalled the sharp end. He moved quickly, and drove the wooden steak into the creature's head. It fell immediately to the ground, and exploded into a sticky substance. Dohuku touched it with his fingers, and had another idea: He grabbed the blade, and glued it back onto the stick with the ooze... He only hoped that it would hold in battle.

He now made his way over to the suit of armor. He took it, and put it on. It was amazing! It was full body armor that went down his arms and legs. It even had a pair of boots. This, along with the headgear, was covered in sharp spikes, specifically on his toes and wrists, so he used them to climb down the trunk of the tree with ease. He got to Fin Del, and Fin Del barely recognized him!

They set off along the shoreline, in search of a Shield...

The Hilaku and Somahaku had been traveling for a full day now. They decided that it was safe to rest for a couple of hours.

"Diyuhama, where are we going" Montissiya asked, somewhat annoyed, as was to be expected...

"I... don't know... We will run for a bit longer, find a place for you to hide; I will leave guards, then proceed to find other stray Hilaku groups..."

"Thank you... thank you for all that you have done, but please, do not endanger yourselves for us."

"We have made our decision... so, please... don't argue..."

"Sire, the troops are prepared." One of the Valchior said. This pleased Kiyu-Su-Lu...

"We leave immediately... We will head to the northern Glemock swamps to destroy the army of the Glemock people."

"...are you sure of this, sire?" The Valchior seemed to dislike this idea... for some reason or another...

"Positive!" he was furious! "Don't question my judgement, ever!"

The troops set out for the north, marching... Kiyu-Su-Lu forget one major detail: He was told by Konowich to return the next day, which happened to be today... He is going in the opposite direction of the Kingdom of Montlefor... to the north, the land of the Glekor...

"Bashtool, gather a dozen men, and go to the Tarahaki Hills... Find out what is going on with Kiyu-Su-Lu..." He was confused; it was visible in his eyes...

"Yessir, I will return as soon as I have some answers for you!"

"Dohuku, the Lake is huge!!! We've been searching for hours! How will we ever find it?" Fin Del was now becoming aggravated and exhausted...

"It says "at the edge of the sea" so it should be far off in the distance; here, let's go that way, it's the farthest point!" They set out again... the trip at their speed took half an hour, and they arrived to see a strange tablet... There, imbedded in the ground, was a circular object... It was surrounded by many stone tablets, like a sanctuary of sorts... Dohuku could barely take it all in... he moved forwards, and stepped on the tablet. He soon realized that it moved! A large, deformed creature fell from the sky! It was huge, at least 3x as tall as Dohuku ever planned on growing... it was also extremely wide; a colossal being if there ever was one... It appeared as though the Goliath's muscle tissue was falling out of it's body.

Dohuku had absolutely _no idea _ what to do! He ran towards the creature with his scythe ready... but it stomped it's foot, and he fell to the ground... The creature tried to slam him into the ground with his fist, but he rolled out of the way. He stopped abruptly as he rolled into something!!! The Shield! Great! It, like the other parts, had many spikes... meaning that it could be used as a shield or a weapon. He slipped it on his left arm, and it felt as though it were light as a feather... He kept dodging the creature, waiting for an opportunity where he could attack the Goliath... But it never came... all of a sudden, the creature moved extremely quickly, and he could not dodge quickly enough... his first instinct was to put his arms out in front of him... this choice could have saved his life!

His shield was out in front, and the Goliath's fist hit it _directly_ on the spike in the center... He did not get hurt by the fist, but he was sent flying, which in itself had a serious pain... The creature fell in pain. Dohuku got up, and again unsheathed his scythe. He only hoped it would hold, because of the ooze...

He struck the creature across the head with the scythe... it worked! It stayed in one piece, and the creature cringed in pain; it then became limp...

"Dohuku," Fin Del yelled as he ran over, "great job, you alright?"

"Thanks... that sure was the toughest, yet..." He said, gasping for breath... "Let's go, we've gotta find a "T"-"

He was cut off in mid sentence by a large roar, then a fist in the back... He hit the ground, and could not move... He was expecting death, but it did not come... He finally got up, and did not see the creature... He was confused!

"What happened, Fin Del?" He asked, as he got to his feet, wincing at the pain...

"I... really don't know... I guess it had no more energy, so when it hit you, it also hit one or more of the many spikes on your back. You were down for a while, and it just disappeared...

"By the way, I just remembered a "T". The Sluvoo continuos down past the Tarahaki Hills. It splits, one way, I don't know where it goes... that's probably where the weapon would be. The other leads to the Glemock Swamps, home to the Glekor people... if they can be called that. They are intelligent... and pure evil... Many people believe they see the future. We have to be _very_ careful!" Fin Del seemed to shake as he said this...

"Let's go... I'm ready for anything!" Dohuku said, as he started walking towards the Sluvoo River...

By this time, Bashtool was close to the Tarahaki Hills. He arrived just in time to witness the entire Valchior army leave... He knew what was going on right away; he could feel the tension in the air. He and his men started the journey back to the Kingdom...

A few hours later, he spoke with Konowich. "MyLord, the entire army is heading for the Glekor Swamps. They plan to eliminate them..." Bashtool made his report, and oddly enough, he seemed pleased to tell Konowich the good news.

Bashtool obviously did not trust the Valchior; he probably guessed they would fall... this is why he seemed delighted at the fact that they had not come here.

"But, that was not in the agreement!" He said furiously. "We were to get the Hilaku, and they were to get the Somahaku. We would later decide the fate of the Glekor..." Just then, an idea came into Konowich's head. It was terrible, you could read that on his face. "...they must be thinking of destroying us... as well!"

Konowich fell silent and thought for a couple of minutes... "Round up the troops. We will take the Tarahaki Hills hostage, and take out the Valchior when they return... The Hilaku can wait. Recall the troops we have out after the Somahaku. They mean nothing to us now. We will rule Estevar by ourselves!"

"Yessir, sir!" Bashtool replied. His excitement was shown in his choice of words, and the look on his face... the adrenaline always gets to him. Konowich worried that maybe this was not such a good time for that, but he didn't care...

Now, the Hilaku High Guard had learned of the Kontor Army heading for the Tarahaki Hills. The Hilaku had a plan: They would meet the Kontor, launch an ambush, and eliminate them all, for Sharkon knew (or so he thought, he knew only what Kiyu-Su-Lu had planted in his mind!) their plans. They, along with the Somahaku, would try to take over the World!!! Little did he know, the Kontor were caught up in the Valchior's plan, and the Somahaku were no more...

Of course, Sharkon himself would remain behind. He had now acquired 70 separate groups to attack the Kontor. They had already set out, with Mendor, one of his finest, in the lead. His army would meet the Kontor just before they reach the Hills. After finishing with the Kontor, he ordered Mendor to eliminate the village of the Somahaku. The planet would once again be at peace...

Dohuku and Fin Del reached the fork in the River, just as the army of the Valchior came into view. Quickly, they needed to hide... Fin Del was standing next to a large boulder; he asked Dohuku to help him lift it; they could hide in the crater it had made.

Dohuku pushed and moved the rock with ease, to his own surprise.

"Wow! That was amazing!" Fin Del yelled excitedly.

"Shhh... It must have been the armor. Hurry, inside." They hid quickly, just as Dohuku noticed something... "What's that, Fin Del?"

"Wha?" His eyes moved towards the army of the Valchior, then to the other side of the grounds. His face went all pale; it's as though he had just seen a ghost... "Oh...my!" he choked out. "Th-that is the Glekor army. The Valchior must have decided to attack them; but they can see the future! They saw it coming! Get ready for a Showdown..."

"Sire, what is that on the horizon?" one of the men asked.

"Heh... that must be their army. Much smaller than I thought. Get ready!" He seemed... somewhat disappointed in his enemy.

The battle started only minutes later. The Souhari were in front, and they were doing great. The enemy was falling. The Valchior had not lost one person. It went smoothly for a few minutes... but all of a sudden, Kiyu-Su-Lu heard screams from the back of the Valchior army... then the sides. The army _was much, much larger than he had expected!!! _They came in from all sides. Of the 2000 men who had attacked, few managed to find a way to flee; 57 men, including Kiyu-Su-Lu, had escaped to the west. The battle ran for a whole 20 minutes after the reinforcements arrived... the Glekor did not notice the 57 escapees... nor did Dohuku or Fin Del. The Valchior, as it was known, was defeated...


	8. Part 8: Four Great Pieces That Together ...

Part 8: _Four Great Pieces, That Together Bind_

"Oh... my... Lord..." Fin Del managed to choke out. "It is... not as though the defeat of... my tribe bothers me... it's just that, now, we have a much, much more powerful foe to overcome..." He was shaking all over, as was to be expected. Dohuku knew he had a friend in the Valchior. He was probably worried that the Glekor would take it out on the commonfolk; specifically his friend.

"How do you know they are our foe?"

"Just trust me."

"Ok then, let's go. We need that weapon... NOW!!!" Dohuku and Fin Del raced down the right side where the water forked. They soon came to a clearing. It was odd: Somehow, the ground here was... different, holy. There was a large tablet at the entrance of the clearing.

It looks as though you place the three pieces in here." Dohuku removed the Helmet, Headgear, and Armor, and placed them in the corresponding places. A large tablet appeared, and a small mountain as well. There was a sword in the ground. Dohuku walked up the steps, and saw a stone tablet that was inscribed with writing. It said: "You now have _true power_. Only one with a pure heart could have succeeded this task. Nevertheless, a great burden has been placed on your shoulders. Don't lose yourself in the power you wield."

Dohuku pulled the sword out, and the other pieces soared into place. He floated into the sky, and started to glow. Thousands of little beams of light came from his body. He slowly lowered himself to the ground.

"Let's go. I have _no idea_ what is going on now. We _must _find the other Somahaku. Hop on my back."

Fin Del held on, and to his surprise, they lifted into the air, and flew south...


	9. Part 9: Tribal Confusions

Part 9: Tribal Confusions

The Hilaku made their way swiftly to the Tarahaki Hills. They would eliminate the Kontor by launching an ambush.

Meanwhile, the Kontor people, led by Konowich, made their way to the Hills as well. The two armies still had at least twenty hours to go. The Hilaku would get there sooner, if everything went as planned, to launch an attack.

Dohuku and Fin Del were travelling extremely quickly. It did not even tire Dohuku out. Fin Del was too confused and surprised, and even scared, to say a word. He just held on tight.

"Here we are." Dohuku said, startling Fin Del. "I can feel it!"  
"Wha... what do you mean "you can feel it?"" he asked.

"They were here. I don't know how I know it, but they have been here."

They were currently at the point where the plain meets the Sluvoo. "They went Northwest. That's where we're going. Hop on." Dohuku was guessing that they were at the Kingdom of Montlefor.

Fin Del was afraid. He was not afraid of his friend...now. He was afraid of how he would react after the power had gotten to him. Nevertheless, he got on...

The Hilaku, led by Diyuhama, had left the Somahaku hidden in a cavern near the edge of the plain. To the north of this point were the lands unknown... no one has been there to their knowledge... not even the Valchior, although they live right to the east of it.

To the west were the people of the sky, on a floating island, hovering close to the ground.

To the east was the Sluvoo, leading to the Tarahaki Hills and the Shlou Lake.

The Hilaku would now set out for other Hilaku Tribal Camps, to convince them of the current state of Estevar, and that they needed to confront Sharkon. This would take at least 5 hours to find the first one, as no one came close to this part of the Plain. They would set out immediately.

"Elder Montissiya, we will be leaving. I will leave five armed guards, and I will return once I have answers. Please, stay inside the cavern... at all costs!

Dohuku and Fin Del were now heading for the Juhuto Forest, to find their friends in The Kingdom of Montlefor. As they reached the Juhuto Forest, they were attacked by archers. "An ambush? Why?" Dohuku wondered aloud.

All of a sudden, Dohuku was hit in the leg by an arrow. He immediately fell towards the ground... or so the archers thought. He slowly and calmly set Fin Del down, then rose back up into the air. He unsheathed his sword from behind his back. He lifted it, the blade pointing behind his left shoulder, and started to spin. He was spinning very quickly; he then seemingly cut through the air with his blade, and a large, circular wave of energy was emitted. The archers fell to the ground, but Dohuku knew that they weren't dead, they only felt a shock and they had a short-term paralysis. He sheathed his sword, and quickly went down to where one of the archers had fallen. He grabbed his dagger, and placed it at the creature's neck.

"Where are the Somahaku?"

"Th-they came here, but they escaped..."

"Escaped? Why'd they leave? You are our friends and our allies. Don't you recognise me, a Somahaku? Why did you attack me?"  
"Hah!" he yelled, pleased to find out this bit of information. "A New World order has come into place... You're not part of it! We worked with the Valchior, to have power in _their world!_ But, of course, they've betrayed us! We will eliminate _them, _and the Hilaku! Once the Valchior have finished with the Glekor, of course... You may escape, but you will _be hunted!_"

"You... tried to kill my race!" He was furious! He lifted his dagger into the air, about to force it back down, when, all of a sudden, his dagger was knocked from his hand. A large stone hit the blade, and sent it flying.

"That's enough, Dohuku..." It was Fin Del. "They're not worth it. Let's go. The Valchior have been eliminated by the Glekor." They could tell that confusion had filled the Kontor elf after hearing this. "The Kontor will also soon be gone, and the Hilaku will be next. We have to find the Somahaku, and prevent it all from falling into place."

"...I'm sorry, Fin Del... You're right. I don't know what's gotten into me. We have to think about this, though... The rest of the Somahaku escaped the Kontor. That must mean someone has helped them. My bet's on the Hilaku. We have to find them." Fin Del got onto Dohuku's back, and off they went.

Diyuhama made his way swiftly through the plain. He had been travelling for only one hour, not five, when, to his utmost surprise, he saw close to 1500 Hilaku soldiers marching towards the Tarahaki Hills. "Stop," he told his men. "We will stay close behind them until they camp out. I will then talk privately to Sharkon, or whoever may be leading this attack..."

Dohuku and Fin Del were hot on the trail of the Somahaku. They knew they were close.

"We're going to descend now. We have to search by land. I'll lead, in case of danger."

"Ok. So, what's the plan once we find them?"  
"We need answers. We will ask them about what is going with the Hilaku, Kontor, and Glekor. We will tell them about the Valchior. We will go from there." They walked in silence from there on. Dohuku yelled about five minutes later: "There, they're in the cavern!" They ran to the cavern, and stormed in. The guards drew their weapons, and threw them to the ground."It's a Valchior! Kill it, quickly! What is the other, metal-looking guy?"

"He must be a Valchior as well... better kill 'em both!"  
Montissiya got up and ran over... and gasped. "Wait!" She cried frantically. "I remember something I once read, and it talked of this armor! Wait a minute... You, are you... oh my gosh, it's Siytor!"

"Montissiya? Is it really you!? Oh man! Montissiya, am I glad to see you!"

The guards let Dohuku go, and he ran over to Montissiya. Fin Del tried to get up as well, but was immediately thrown back down by the guard.

"Let him go," Dohuku said, "he's with me."

"What do you mean?" the guard asked, dumbfounded. "He's a Valchior! I'm not even sure who you are right now..."

"Trust me," Dohuku said, giving him a strange glare. "let him go."

He immediately let Fin Del go, although he could not stop looking at Dohuku quizzically...

"Montissiya, my name is Siytor no more... please call me Dohuku."

"Siy-" She began, but cut herself off. "_Dohuku_, where did you get that? The Shlou Lake?" She made no comment on the name, as she fully understood his feelings...

"There's no time. I was attacked at the Juhuto Forest, and learned that you, too, were attacked. The Kontor are going after the Hilaku... I see the Hilaku are on our side-" She cut him off.

"These few, along with 37 others are helping us... against the will of the High Guard. Everyone is against us," she stated, a deep sadness could be heard in her voice, and seen in her eyes...

"Geez... ok, moving on, the Valchior went after the Glekor, to wipe them out, but that also failed... they've been eliminated. We have lost one enemy, just to gain one much more powerful. The Kontor seem to think that they will soon rule Estevar. I have no idea what the Hilaku are doing in this twisted plot, _but we've got to stop it **all!!!**_" He looked at the dismayed faces of his friends and allies all throughout the cavern.

"...so, it's a set-up by the Valchior..." Montissiya began, "or at least it was. They thought they would take over the planet for themselves, but something went wrong... but, there are certainly more Valchior; we aren't even sure if Kiyu-Su-Lu has lost..."

The 57 Valchior, led by Kiyu-Su-Lu, had set off towards the unknown parts once the battle had ended.

"Where are we going, MyLord, and what will we accomplish there?" one man began. "Our tribe is finished, there is no one left to guard the Hills."

"We are now heading for the _Parts Unknown_," Kiyu-Su-Lu said matter-of-factly, "and we _will _protect our Village.

It had been 7 hours since Diyuhama and his group had set out. The troops had set up their tents. Diyuhama raced to the front, where he would talk to the Head.

He barged into the lead tent, and saw a man. "Sir, whoever you are-"

"Diyuhama, is it you?" he blurted out.

"Mendor?" Diyuhama asked, confusion all over his face. It was his long-time friend... going against everything that was right on Estevar? "What are you doing, leading this thing?"

"We were sent to eliminate the Kontor, the ones who are scheming with the Somahaku, to take us over. Once we get the Kontor, we get the Somahaku... that's why you're with the army, isn't it? To bring peace?"

"You are making a terrible mistake. The Somahaku are gone... I have the only 23 survivors, hiding away in a cavern, and the Kontor are seemingly scheming with the Valchior. You must turn back, now!!!"

"So... you're asking me, telling me to betray Sharkon?" he asked, although he seemed very interested in the idea.

Diyuhama replied simply and matter-of-factly: "I did."


End file.
